I was in a silly mood this morning, trying to avoid having to think about having to venture out into the snow to restock some supplies since there are more storms on the way, and decided to render a personal assistant for Yasmine Galenorn’s personal assistant, GeekGyrlFriGEV.

Now, I know she’s a bit young, and might need the occasional burping and stuff, but I figure it’s best to start her training early.

So congratulations, GeekGyrl – you’re a momma

GeekGyrlFriGEV's Personal Assistant

Tags: Giftart

• RT @YasmineGalenorn: Blog up: My reaction to the Amazon Fiasco: http://bit.ly/9YtMnV #
• Oh joy – more snow on the way! 5 inches forecast. Just what we needed! #
• What do you call the iPad in Arabic? • Register Hardware http://bit.ly/cOjPUT #
• The Conservative Case For Gay Marriage – Newsweek.com http://bit.ly/9i7Pg6 #
• RT @DeadliestCatch: Update on Capt. Phil, he's recovering from surgery. http://ow.ly/12m71 #
• Judge seals videotape in #Taser case – #CNN http://bit.ly/bcL2r5 – What the hell is on this tape?? #
• Researchers: U.S. escalated drone strikes in Pakistan in recent weeks – #CNN http://bit.ly/d2c2Bt – And the problem with this is what? #
• .#Hubble, sky survey catch rare asteroid crash, #NASA says – #CNN http://bit.ly/b9hd66 – Asteroids like DC drivers when snow falls! #
• Reports: #Phishing attack hits #Twitter – #CNN http://bit.ly/czz784 – Whoopsies? #
• Yay snow covered trees and a gorgeous view of the park. Boo wet heavy snow that's going to make chair ramp a nightmare #
• RT @metroopensdoors: Metrobus, MetroAccess service returning to normal operations http://www.wmata.com/tiny.cfm?id=4277 #
• Why oh why don't authorities realize their plows force wheelies onto the roads by creating snow berms blocking all kerb cuts??? #
• RT @NASA: STS-130 prelaunch countdown briefing at 10a ET on NASA TV and http://www.nasa.gov/ntv – launch weather for Sunday is 70% "go." #
• RT @YasmineGalenorn: Please RT to remove @astatalkcom from Twitter. They are posting links to unauth. copies of copyrighted works! #
• OK, let's see if this idea works … Why does Facebook have to be so complicated compared to Wordpress?? http://fb.me/50PFsVt #
• On the subject of art theft … Does this qualify? http://bit.ly/9RSR88 #
• GFX Blog: Delilah and Ariel http://bit.ly/aSMzHB #3D #GFX #
• Today must be monday, I never could get the hang of mondays. Big drain pipe under house blocked and needing replacing, and snow on the way! #
• I'm expecting to be stuck until tuesday when the snow hits, but will have no excuse not to do pic of you & 3yo at mall @MikeHawthorne #
• Delaware, New Jersey brace for blizzard; D.C. area to see heavy snow – #CNN http://bit.ly/cYX5v7 – DC blizzard warning for 10am-10pm Friday #
• W00t! Jim's gotten into another Top 10 list: RT @JamesAMoore: http://bit.ly/9t7Jzi This is where. #
• Oh my … gimme gimme!!!! @CBR @DarkHorseComics #
• Is the #Avatar concept really possible? – #CNN http://bit.ly/9KyvYe #
• From #WMATA #039;s site: #Metro prepares for major winter storm Friday and Saturday http://bit.ly/bItTlA – #MetroAccess riders call 301-562-5360 #
• So, 40lbs of ice melt bought, supplies are in, plumbing repaired, now we just hunker down and wait for the storm #
• So snow's coming, neighbour cars blocking the street, plows won't be able to come after the snow – end result, we're gonna be stuck. *sigh* #
• Accountants are the unsung heroes of maintaining sanity this time of year @YasmineGalenorn #
• #FF Authors: @YasmineGalenorn @LKHamilton @kenyonsherrilyn @JamesAMoore @Susineito @Trollgodfather @StevenBrust @JeffStrand @neilhimself #
• #FF Artists: @MikeHawthorne @MarkH_B @joannastar @JL_Anderson @DarkHorseComics @skottieyoung #
• #FF Music: @Trans_Siberian @bearmccreary #
• Town response to call telling them road's blocked so plows won't come down leaving 2 wheelies stranded after snows? "We're leaving flyers" #
• RT @YasmineGalenorn: For Authors: AG launches "WhoMovedMyBuyButton"–will alert you if Amazon moves YOUR buy button! http://bit.ly/b3F3Fx #
• Still got power, farm churning away doing the last @YasmineGalenorn fanart (Camille), hubby hitting McD's on his way home – Life is good! #
• Uh-oh, sense of humor kicked in. Idea for next render – Giger aliens having a snowball fight. I'm bad #
• OK, *you* tell me where it's canonical that Giger aliens don't have snowball fights! #
• Expanded idea: @MikeHawthorne 's 3YO having a snowball fight with Giger aliens. Wonder if @DarkHorseComics would buy the idea … #
• Yeesh, cabin fever's started to set in and the storm's not even here properly yet #
• If you'd like to blame someone for my 3D art, it's @MarkH_B who got me started years ago – Check out his stuff at http://bit.ly/b8M3fM #
• Well, they shifted the #Blizzard Warning 12 hours – 10pm to 10am now. @WUSA9 doppler shows frightening clump of snow s. of #DC – #Snowstorm #
• It's not the snow that worries me, but the response of the auth's. By now they should *know* how to handle snow even in #DC – #Snowstorm #
• #Snowpocalypse pic, 9pm http://twitpic.com/11lb4i #
• #Snowpocalypse pic, 9pm http://twitpic.com/11lbee #
• http://twitpic.com/11lbee – Pic taken from front door … not great, camera shake is cos it's so damned cold! Will try to get better ones la #
• http://twitpic.com/11lb4i – Pic taken from front door … not great, camera shake is cos it's so damned cold! Will try to get better ones la #
• According to @WUSA9, #WMATA & Ride-On buses in the #DC region are now stopped, #MetroRail will shut down above-ground @ 11pm #snowpocalypse #
• MD Gov O'Malley: "This is a great time to curl up with a book" – I suggest @YasmineGalenorn @LKHamilton @kenyonsherrilyn and @JamesAMoore #
• Yay, Camille render passes almost done – 6 hours. Now comes the Photoshop part and the Magic Pen Of Wacom Intuos! #
• From @WUSA9 – #WMATA no above ground #MetroRail and no #MetroBus saturday – Probably means no #MetroAccess either #
• PCA's dog after 2 minutes going outside to do his business. He was *really* eager to get back in! http://twitpic.com/11lkht #snowpocalypse #
• According to #MetroAccess web site – all trips saturday cancelled, if you have a medical emergency call 911 #snowpocalpse #WMATA #
• http://twitpic.com/11lkht – This is our PCA's dog after 2 minutes outside doing his business – pola-dot doggie! #
• Thundersnow ~1 hour from being overhead – It's absolutely beautiful outside, snow reflecting lights – so I'm weird! #snowpocalypse #
• Otherworld Fanart posted up on my blog in three posts via http://bit.ly/8Zv4IJ – Comments welcome (Menolly plz be gentle!) @YasmineGalenorn #
• Looks like 18" of snow so far, still falling. Looks so ethereal Need to remember to go clear hole in shed door so ferals can get out in AM #
• OK, enough staring at the snow as beautiful as it looks before it turns to grey sludge, sleep calls #
• Vid of the day: @WUSA9 camera car was trying to help a snowplow *truck* out of a snowbank in Montgomery County – @WUSA9 PLEASE YouTube #
• We've got 2' at the front door, *after* clearing 8" last night – and another ~12" due today – be careful @MikeHawthorne #
• #snowpocalypse pics this AM http://twitpic.com/11owyh http://twitpic.com/11owyo http://twitpic.com/11owzh #
• Reminder: #WMATA has no above-ground #MetroRail no #MetroBus no #MetroAccess – MetroAccess riders in emergency call 911 #snowpocalypse #
• Dammit, not even our PCA can make it through to get to the shed & clear a way for the ferals to get out. Hope the cans last night were enuf #
• Still snowing – Got to hand it to @WUSA9 teams for staying out in the middle of this #snowpocalypse #
• RT @kenyonsherrilyn: http://twitpic.com/11pe8o – OK this is not only hysterical. It's just fun. Now I know what I'm going to do at next con #
• I'm a Graduate of the Ellen Ripley School of Ladylike Behavior But no, they're perfectly nice and cuddly and friendly!! @GeekGyrlFriGEV #
• If you have neighbors with disabilities plz check on them, if they use mobility aids offer to help clear the snow if you can #snowpocalpyse #
• Remember plowed roads *create* barricades for wheelies/blind especially, snow berms on sidewalks mean we have to use roads #snowpocalypse #
• RT @taosecurity: #snowpocalypse The snow is out there. It can't be reasoned with. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead. #
• http://twitpic.com/11q1fn – The tree in the background is a 14' tall colorado blue spruce, that's usually higher than the gutter – the weigh #
• Oh hell, a church collapsed in DC #Snowpocalypse #
• Uh oh, power just flickered. Not a good sign! #
• OK, so power's back, but we have 3 feet of snow outside. Can't get to shed to release ferals, can't get to road (not plowed anyways) >> more #
• but we're warm, and should be OK until they get to our street mid-week. Wheelies in snowstorms are stranded longer than 2-leggeds #
• Slush piles 2-leggeds can step over might as well be walls for wheelies – no-one clears enough, so we have to wait #
• New blog post up about render fails, using an OW fanart draft as an example http://bit.ly/a9iArj @YasmineGalenorn @FairyFindings #
• I really should start doing more process blog posts I think. It's just hard trying to put it all into words, my hands just "do" it #
• Next set of render projects – mostly more landscapes to add to the freebies section on my GFX site: http://bit.ly/a0j2U2 #
• Since we've got so much snow outside today, I might as well work some snowy landscape renders #
• RT @FairyFindings: Fun contest, gang! Enter for shot at Witchling & several other "firsts" RT @RKCharron http://bit.ly/dCBZ4P #
• Woohoo!!! I get to go smash ice off the ramp this am! Downside – not allowed to use flamethrower. Bah humbug! #
• No above ground #MetroRail #Metrobus or #MetroAccess service today http://bit.ly/ammY8d #WMATA #
• Not sure where @WUSA9 weatherdrones got figures, but we got 39" of snow – they're saying ~20". They can come see (if they can get here ) #
• Flip side, @WUSA9 mobile units with live skype feeds yesterday – great idea. Hope they're not gonna dock pay of guy whose chain got broke #
• Haz hammer, no more haz ice. It's nice to be the Marine of the household #
• Don't get me wrong, it's not that I like destroying things. Well, maybe a little. Ben Hur hubs for my chair should be covered by insurance. #
• VDOT official(?) pronouncement – some side streets won't see plows until tue #snowpocalpyse #
• Neighbors clearing part of road – might get more pics of how deep the snow got, will post to http://bit.ly/czgzuH #snowpocalypse #
• If VA spent 94% of snow budget at xmas, what's theit deficit now – and what will it be after mid-week?? @Organica_ #
• Two new pics added at http://bit.ly/czgzuH #
• Quote from me on the phone to BFF "I don't do happy endings" in response to her mentioning I killed her char off in "Outsider: Epiphany" #
• The downside to basing characters in my books on my friends – they get attached to what I do to their alter-egos #
• I don't know why she's complaining, I killed off the protagonist *and* resurrected her for the 2nd book #
• National Weather Service winter storm watch for DC area, est 5"+ snow tue pm/wed am #snowpocalpyse round 2 #
• Much more entertaining than SB >> RT @NASA: STS-130 managers gave a "go" to fill Endeavour's external tank for Monday's http://bit.ly/aWLwQJ #

Tags: moonwolf, tweets, twitter

I love how history repeats itself.

Most of the snow clearance you see on the ramp was done by our fantastic and wonderful PCA, Tainee.  I did get to go out and start hammering on the ice on the ramp though – figures I get to do the destruction part

They think that plows might get to roads like ours mid-week.

Now, I realize people might say “Oh, well, the neighbors will all decide to dig their own way to the nearest cleared road” – and they very well might – but it won’t do us any good, since even a relatively small pile of frozen-slushed snow a car might drive through, or a pedestrian might step over, might as well be a solid wall for a wheelie.

That’s going to be the next obstacle once the roads get cleared – trying to get around once we’re out of the neighborhood.  County plows will have dumped all the snow on the sidewalks, meaning we’ll have to travel along the side of a very busy main road.

Hopefully, unlike last Christmas’ snows, we’ll remember to take the camera with us so people can get some idea of just how scary it can get.

I swear, the world is made to try and reduce the number of crips by putting us in harms way just to go out!

Tags: DC Snowstorm 2010, Snowpocalypse

I was in email with Yasmine Galenorn’s wonderful administrative assistant FairyFindings this morning, and in the course of it mentioned a couple of other renders that aren’t really part of the Sisters of The Moon fanart I did.  I promised her I’d dig through those rough drafts, and I came across this prototype.

Remember that old quote about interfering in the affairs of dragons?  Well, this character from the Otherworld series pretty much sums that up – if you’re anyone other than Camille, that is.

This is Smoky, or at least that’s the only name he’ll allow in public.  He usually goes around in a human form, with very – and I do mean very – flexible long white hair, and clothes that seem to never ever be in need of cleaning from their immaculate white condition – even right after a bloodbath!  He also happens to be soul-bound to Camille – eternally “married”, as is Morio, a fox-demon, and is very protective of her.

Did I mention he thinks he’s found a way for Camille to have his baby?

Dragons, especially cranky white/silver ones in the Otherworld universe, seem to be notoriously camera shy, and hard to catch off guard.  So the best I could get was this brief glimpse just before being reminded dragons don’t sign model releases, up close and very personal.  I also discovered dragons really need to try using mouthwash.  I’m just glad I found that out from the outside!

On the bright side, I told him that Fairyfindings said he should take any questions to her – after all, she is Yasmine Galenorn’s Administrative Assistant

Shy Smoky (prototype)

No postwork done since it’s just a “doodle”.

In seriousness, this one was one of those ideas I had that looked good in the dark recesses of my mind, but the product as it was rendered never matched quite what that mental image was.

One of the reasons I like doing non-human characters is it is harder to project emotions in non-human renders, and my mental image did that.  Trying to bring it into reality was just fail after fail, so I put it on the shelf for another time.  I never throw any of my prototypes away, in time something will click and I can go back to one and make it work, so this might just come out in the future anyways.

Never give up on your images (or your writing ideas for that matter), just give it time and let your muse come and slap you around the head a few times pointing you to how to make a “good” idea a “great” result.

Tags: Sisters of The Moon

So here we go again with a rerun of the snows from last December, dubbed “Snowpocalypse”.

Which is kind of strange, given how it seems like DC goes into an absolute panic when the snowfall totals 3 snowflakes, let alone the three feet or so that’s fallen so far.

Unlike December, we’ve seen one Town snowplow, yesterday.  I’m not sure why there’s been nothing since then, maybe they’re conserving supplies for when the snow finally stops falling.

So we’re hunkered down, hopefully we’ll keep power and Internet.  Thankfully, all of us are used to much worse snow, so we’re not too concerned – we already had supplies laid in, so as long as the power stays up we’ll be fine.

The bad things so far are all to do with the feral cat colony we TNR’d several years ago.  Most of them now hang out in our (unused) shed in the back, going in and out through a hole in the bottom of the door which is now covered by snow.  There’s no way any of us (even tainee, the only one here with working legs) can get through the snow to clear the hole.  So we’re hoping the extra cans of wet food we put out at the feeding station yesterday will tide them over.

Here’s the pics so far, I’ll update them as I can get more added:

Tags: Snowpocalpyse